Chasing Waves
by BrownEyedHoneybadger
Summary: The World Government is on the hunt for the Water Elementals so they can control the seas. The world's greatest swordsman fortunately stumbles upon one. Now, Hawk Eyes wasn't one to be swayed by a pretty face, but this one might just catch his heart before he turns her in for reward money. Mihawk/OC
1. First Encounter: Mihawk vs Zoro

_**First Encounter – Mihawk vs Zoro**_

It was menacing the way the little dingy – _**was it even a dingy or a tiny boat?**_ – drifted towards the b deck of the floating restaurant. The figure occupying the vessel had his face hidden in a lazy slump of his neck, veiled by the sinister tilt of his large black hat.

From where she stood at the front trying to defend the children from Kreig's destruction, albeit ignoring Sanji's loving cries towards her whenever she made water slap someone off their feet, Mia felt an icy breath quiver through her lips. For a moment she was hypnotised by the man, absolutely entranced by his utter presence.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her niece Mera perk up from her position on the deck, the young girl not even older than seventeen years and cradling her broken arm. Of course, if Mia had the chance, she could heal it instantly, but there seemed to be distractions left and right – Nami stealing the ship, Kreig showing up and Luffy just being Luffy made it hard to do her job as a guardian to her nieces.

Next to Mera stood her younger twin sister, Nino, a look of concern etched into her young and soft face. Compared to her sister, Nino was an exact doppelganger, the only difference being the shade of their hair – Mera sporting dark blue and Nino a baby blue, closer to her aunt's light blue thick tresses.

Concerned for her nieces, Mia turned back to the new arrival, her hands tightening around her white wooded and ancient staff. At the moment she was low on power, trying to aid Luffy in the fight and running around looking for Nami and the ship, she was tired out pretty quickly. To her credit though, she was still a prodigy, although a lady above anything else, but lacked experience in comparison to her sister, Nera, who gave birth to these to hell spawns that had Mia chasing them around after _pirates_.

As if it wasn't already a hard enough task keeping them hidden from the World Government and the Marines.

Mia heard Zoro gulp from a few feet away from her. She saw him visibly stiffen as the muscles in his neck contracted. His face froze, betraying shock mixed with an equal amount of fear. Up until now, Mia was certain Zoro was rather composed and she respected him as a great fighter, but knowing this new arrival had him riled made Mia worried.

"That man is …" Zoro sputtered, limbs trembling. Mia's grip on her staff tightened even more. She was so word out, she had no idea how she'd be able to help the situation.

"He's come this far to kill us!" one of Kreig's crewmembers shrieked as he hung from splintered and destroyed wood in the water. A rush of terror and panic spread amongst the pirates as they scrambled to try and get out of the way. Mia blanched, surveying how the destroyed ships around them echoed the possible unrivalled strength of the man approaching them.

"We're doomed!"

Luffy was the first to be curious. "Zoro, who is that man?" he asked, unaffected by the obvious fear of everyone and not noticing the waves of fear rolling off the swordsman of his crew. It was astonishing how Luffy could be relaxed in such a dire situation, but then again, Mia had never come across someone as naïve and insanely brave at the same time as Monkey D. Luffy.

"The man I've been searching for," Zoro explained, voice dangerous. "Hawk Eyes Mihawk."

At the announcement of the name, Mia felt a chill dance up her spine. This was the man Zoro wanted to surpass? Zoro was lethal enough as it is, what with having three words and all, but what on earth was this man capable of if he destroyed an entire fleet?

Luffy lowered his hat. "Hawk Eyes Mihawk?"

"The strongest swordsman in the world!"

Mia's involuntarily took a step back. _The strongest swordsman in the world?_

"He destroyed that huge ship with _that _sword?!"

"He's the great swordsman, Hawk Eyes," Zeff relented, eyes focused and his posture sturdy. "A swordsman, above all of the swordsmen."

Mia resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Obviously, that was what World's Greatest Swordsman implied. Despite her annoyance she stood resolute, only listening and already planning away to escape with her nieces if necessary. She turned away from Zeff to stare down her obstacle.

His hat tipped up. The moment his eyes were revealed to her she understood the reference to his name. Those eyes pierced her soul; bore through her body as if the devil himself was looking at her. She fought the slight tremble in her legs, shooting panicked glances to Mera and Nino.

She barely noticed Zoro gearing up for what was probably going to be the most anticipated battle of his life, Mia took a moment to realize how young everyone on the Straw Hat crew was – she was technically the oldest, the only liable adult, but at the same time not really part of the crew. This man, Mihawk, looked older, yet still in his prime judging by the muscles rippling underneath his jacket and his shirtless state.

The vessel came to a halt, more of Krieg's crew falling into total panic.

"Why did you attack us?!" one yelled in demand.

Astounded by his resolute poise, Mia saw Mihawk spare the man an ice cold stare with a slight cock of his head. The danger rolled off him in in tumbling waves – Mia had yet to come across an ocean that rivalled such ferocity. His mere manifestation shook everyone present.

"To kill time."

His voice. Smooth. Dangerous. Mia couldn't suppress her shiver this time, or her quivering breath of ice cold air passing through her lungs. The magnitude of his statement hit her like one of her own infamous water-slaps her nieces were usually the victims of. This man was a killer – could he even be reasoned with? He destroyed an entire fleet of ships _just to kill time_?

"Bullshit!" the same crew member exclaimed, furious at condescending tone in the swordsman voice. In a compulsive burst of anger, he picked up two pistols and aimed them at Mihawk, firing without thinking.

If Mia didn't have a keen eye herself, she would've missed the split second it took for Mihawk to draw his impressively sized sword, tilt it in the direction of the shooter and have the bullets bounce off the surface without so much as a flinch from Mihawk himself. Mia was speechless. She nearly almost missed it.

Mouths fell open, impressed and astounded at the same time.

"W-what?" the shooter cried, form frozen from the ineffectiveness of his attack.

Mia heard Zoro draw his sword and turned to see his face completely overjoyed by the scene he had just witnessed. Mia blanched. There was no way Zoro could go up against this man and turn up victorious.

"Zoro. Don't," she pleaded silently, but her word fell on death ears. Zoro was a lost cause now.

"Zoro!" Nino implored from her sister's side.

"You've got time to spare, don't you?" Zoro quipped, sword pointed challenging in the direction of Mihawk. "Let's duel, shall we?"

Whispers and remarks ran around everyone. Zoro was the famed Pirate Hunter and Mihawk the alleged greatest swordsman in the world.

"Duel?" Mihawk let fall from his lips in an uninterested drawl. He raised his head. "Such a pitiful weakling."

Mia was being very honest with herself now. She was terrified for Zoro. Mihawk was going to destroy him. Zoro remained unyielding, stance stoic and ready. In the step of a flash, Mihawk was on the deck and Mia accidently let out a startled gasp at his sudden movement.

Mihawk turned to her, tipping his head in what she assumed was how he displayed curiosity. Suddenly she felt very vulnerable, but at least succeeded in distracting him from Zoro's insane challenge.

"What do we have here?" she heard him mutter darkly, and felt another shiver invade her body as he bore into her with his supernatural pair of eyes.

Zoro took another step in their direction, trying to regain Mihawk's attention. "Leaver her out of this. She's the crew's healer, nothing else." Zoro gritted his teeth, frustrated that Mihawk didn't even spare him a glance.

Mia was about to say something, anything, at all to change Mihawk's mind. Perhaps he could be reasoned with, despite destroying a whole fleet on a whim of sheer boredom.

In another flash, he was in front of her. Close. Too close. Her silver pair of eyes racked in surprise and she was about to back off because of the closeness of the heat coming from his body, but his swift arm shot out and grabbed her wrist painfully.

"Aunt Mia!" Mera yelled from the side, making a move to try and help.

"Don't!" Mia called back, struggling against the swordsman who didn't even budge a little against her tussle. As if she'd been frozen, Mera halted in her position. Luffy looked like he was about to do something, but Mia shot him a look that warned him to stay out of the way, lest he lose Mera and Nino as part of his crew.

"I know what you are." A ghost of a mutter, but it was enough to turn her whole world upside down.

_**He knows.**_

She couldn't stop her quivering breathing anymore. She feared for the lives of her nieces, whom she loved and cared for more than their own mother.

"Please," she softly pleaded, no longer struggling against the grip his large hand had on her wrist. "Leave the children."

Whatever he wanted, whatever his intention was, as long as he left her nieces alone and in one piece, she didn't care what he did with her. She didn't even care what he did with Zoro, she guiltily admitted to herself. She'd come to care for the Straw Hats, but her nieces always came first.

"Admirable," Mihawk whispered in her ear, his closeness reflecting a very uncomfortable scene of intimacy. "I will leave them for now, but come for them once they can fight back."

"Fight me!" Zoro challenged.

Stirred, Mihawk turned to Zoro, not relinquishing his grip on the young woman. His stared at Zoro, eyes hard.

"If you really were a fine swordsman, you should've been able to judge the difference in strengths without drawing your swords," Mihawk remarked coldly. "Challenging me … Are you that brave? Or simply reckless?"

"This is for my own ambition!" Zoro declared, sweat trickling down his face in anticipation. He positioned his third sword in his mouth to emphasize this. "And for a promise to my fallen friend!"

"I see," Mihawk remarked, eyes sharp. Suddenly, Mia felt herself jerked forward into the man's strong and muscled physique, unable to pull away as he released her wrist and snaked the arm around her waist. He held a vice grip on her. Mia felt her body stiffen in the uncomfortable and forced embrace. She heard protests from Zoro and her nieces, as well as Sanji from the side.

"Hey now, what's the meaning of this?" Zoro inquired, eyes narrowing. In spite of her current predicament, Mia was still impressed he was capable of being audible when he had a thick weapon between his teeth.

Whilst still having on arm secured around his captive, Mihawk drew a smaller somewhat dagger-like sword and turned to Zoro with Mia still caught. Her white staff was uncomfortable wedged between them, but she had little room to adjust anything with how strong a grip he had on her.

"I'm unlike those idiots who use their all to hunt rabbits. Though you're famous enough to be called a swordsman, this is the weakest of the Four Oceans, East Blue. Unfortunately, I'm carrying nothing smaller than this."

Having nowhere to put her hands, Mia settled them between her and Mihawk's chest, trying to put some form of a barrier between them. Her pressure barely fazed him as he pointed the small weapon at Zoro in a degrading form of a challenge.

"Quit mocking me!" The only thing keeping Zoro from charging was the fact that Mia was standing between them unwillingly and completely exposed as Mihawk used her as a shield.

"Let me make you a deal," said Mihawk, and Mia dared to look at him. "I will accept your challenge, and I shall battle you not only with this _toy, _but while holding this lovely lady as well. I assure you she won't get a scratch on her, though I doubt if you'd even be able to get a scratch on _me_."

"Leave her out of this!" Mera raged from the side and moved to lunge, only to be stopped by her sister.

"Please, don't kill him," Mia pleaded softly, hoping Mihawk would respond as a gentleman. Most times she could convince men to do whatever she wanted, as they swayed before her soft beauty and kind voice. She was hoping to at least have _half_ that kind of effect on Mihawk, even if just a quarter. "He's so young."

"As long as you promise to not make this more difficult for yourself and surrender quietly to the World Government," he voiced in a cold voice, catching her pleading stare and seemingly unaffected by her looks. Mia inwardly started to panic.

There was no telling what the World Government would do to her, and she was not as brave as her nieces gave her credit for, but she was a lady and ladies kept their promises. Mortified and completely helpless, she buried her head of soft light blue curls underneath his chin. She thought she felt his stance fidget, but probably imagined it. He was undeniably rigid.

"You have my word," she breathed, afraid that she had just made a deal with the devil. A tear threatened to spill, but she pushed it down. She took refuge in his warm skin against her cold one. This man would bring about the end of her.

_**She'd never see her nieces again**_.

Without warning, Zoro charged, yelling his attack. Mia wasn't even paying attention, as she found herself between two dangerous pirates, one who could fight with three swords and another that could eliminate a whole fleet of ships that came from the Grand Line. Her body went stiff. She buried her face in his chest, hoping he would live up to his statement that he could fight without getting her hurt in the process.

"Zoro, no!" she heard Nino shriek, along with Luffy and Usopp.

There was a slight jerk from Mihawk and then a sharp clang of metal. Mia dared to turn her head slightly to see the incredibly spectacle that was Mihawk blocking Zoro's three katannas with one tiny blade.

"I promised I wouldn't let anything happen to you," he assured her in his dark voice laced with velvet.

"W-what?!" Zoro exclaimed, face strained from Mihawk's strength.

Mia let slip a high-pitched hiccup. Zoro was her last hope in this moment of weakness, even if she predicted he would be defeated. She had still hoped he would surprise as Luffy had surprised her many times in the last few days. It was over now though.

Zoro retracted and attacked in a flurry of blades like razors swift in the wind. Mia squeaked in a very unladylike manner that would let Nera rebuke her. As if sensing her discomfort, Mihawk effortlessly shifted her in his arm, lifting her feet to dangle off the ground as he manoeuvred without exertion to counter Zoro's reckless attacks. Mihawk knocked Zoro down and when Zoro stood up to retaliate, Mihawk leapt gracefully onto the ledge behind him, Mia dangling uselessly against him.

Reacting on instinct, she tangled her arms up to grip around his neck for leverage, as the grip if his arm around her petite frame was starting to hurt. Zoro brought his blade down, only for Mihawk to leap again and land on the deck once more before Zoro even completely destroyed the railing.

Breathing heavily from the adrenaline, Mia spotted a light blue blur move towards them and instantly knew it was Nino. Mihawk probably spotted her as well, but didn't react and kept his unrelenting focus on Zoro. Zoro was about to bring the sword in his mouth forward when Nino promptly tackled him from behind and brought them both to the floor. Both hit the surface with a hard 'oof' that started Zoro so badly, the sword in his mouth fell out.

"Run, Aunt Mia! He might accidently hit you!" Nino called, practically wrestling with Zoro on the ground.

Mia was about to respond, but out of nowhere Mihawk began to swing down the small sword he wielded on the pair on the ground. Zoro reacted, flipped himself over Nino to shield her from the blow and took an unrelenting strike to his mid-back. He cried out in pain, fighting to keep Nino still who wanted to help him.

"Zoro!" Nino called out.

"Your skill is nothing more than raw and unrefined talent," Mihawk concluded coldly. Mia began to struggle, wanting to help Nino and Zoro. "You're unworthy of the title of swordsman."

Zoro quivered, whether from the pain or from Mihawk's word, Mia didn't know. She just knew she needed to stop him, because another blow like that and Zoro was going to die.

"Don't!" Mia harshly whispered. "Even if you strike him down, he'll get back up. If my niece hadn't stopped him, you would've have seen his incredible will. He'd rather pick death over defeat."

Mihawk took a second to contemplate her words, much to her relief. "I promised I wouldn't kill him, and I stay true to my word. However, your niece interfered."

"Just take me and leave! You got what you wanted!" she forced out of her throat, her body trembling against his stronger and leaner form. She pulled her head away from his chest to look him square in the eyes – those eyes had a dangerous effect on her as they caused chilly breath to course through her lungs in a flustered state. She shouldn't be flustered. There was nothing flattering about the situation at all.

"Very well," he conceded, finally letting her go and she quickly caught her staff that was about to tip and hit the floor. After his display of speed, any thought Mia had of running away had quickly dissipated. She could be just as fast, but she was currently tired and worn out. Right now, she just needed to get this madman as far away from her nieces as possible.

In a surprisingly gentle gesture, he placed the palm of his hand on the small of her back and efficiently guided her towards his vessel which was a few feet away from the edge of the deck.

"Aunt Mia! Don't go with him!" Mera urgently called, moving forward.

"Don't!" Mia ordered, turning to her eldest niece. For a second it hit her that she might never see either of them again, but she pushed the incoming sorrow down for the moment. She wanted to say goodbye more than anything, but couldn't upset them – she couldn't give any indication that she wasn't coming back for them. Instead, she took a steady breath and gave her eldest a stern look.

"Stay with Luffy, no matter what. Do you understand me?"

Mera's lip quivered. "Y-yes, Aunt Mia."

Shooting another look at Nino, who was crouched over Zoro in a desperate attempt to heal him with only her basis skills, Mia did one of the most painful things ever and turned her back on her nieces. She broke her own heart, but reminded herself she was doing this to protect them. She shot Mihawk a glance to indicate she was ready and he nodded stoically. Without warning or any indication, he swiftly moved and swept her off her feet.

Curdling his arms under her knees and back, Mia let out a soft feminine gasp as the world's greatest swordsmen literally _**swept her off her feet**_, soundlessly leapt from the deck and gracefully landed on the vessel without letting it even sway on the water in the slightest. Again, with gentleness that surprised her, he set her down in the seat he previously preoccupied upon arriving.

To her utter embarrassment, her face flushed at his gestures and she utterly failed at trying to hide it. He seemed to notice, merely giving her a knowing smirk and then turning to make the vessel move.

Mera was now at the edge of the deck. "Aunt Mia!"

"There is no turning back now," Mihawk said with a cold finality that froze her heart. She couldn't bring herself to look at Mera, or any of the Straw Hats for that matter. She shifted in her seat and tried to ignore the pleas and calls everyone threw after her.

Then she set out into the ocean, with the world's greatest swordsman holding her captive.

**A/N: It's done. Too late. Can't stop me. My previous fics lacked something, so I'm trying something new.**

**I realize this is a little confusing so I'm giving some background. This particular chapter is in the Baratie Arc, obviously. Careful for spoilers through this fic, people. Read at own risk. I'll try to keep it as canon as possible.**

**Mostly follows Mihawk and Mia's adventure, and we'll get into detail about Mia and everything. Don't worry.**

**Things you need to know:**

**Mia, Mera and Nino are Water Elementals. I think it's pretty clear what that means, but we'll really get into detail about that more and more, don't worry.**

**Pairings!**

**Mihawk/OC (Mia)**

**Possible Shanks/OC**

**Luffy/OC**

**Zoro/OC**

**I hope you guys enjoyed this first chapter! Feel free to leave me a review! **


	2. Run For It! Red-Haired Saviour!

_**Run For It! Red-Haired Saviour!**_

She wanted to risk it. Really, she did, but the images of her nieces' faces were still fresh in her mind, so she couldn't bring herself up to run away. He'd catch her in a heartbeat. That, and she'd made a promise and she always kept her promises.

'Hawk Eyes' Mihawk was not very sociable, which didn't surprise her one bit. He hadn't said a single thing since their departure. He also hadn't looked at her, choosing instead to sit at the foot of the vessel and tip his hat over his face while he dozed on and off.

Mia was astounded. How on earth did he know where he was going? The vessel seemed to move by itself as if it had a mind of its own and knew exactly where it should be headed. This did little to soothe her nerves. It was already astonishing to her that a pirate travelled the seas with nothing more than a chair glued to piece of driftwood. Perhaps he was a much better swordsman than pirate.

"This is not my real ship," he said suddenly, like he had read her thoughts. She shivered.

"I don't care." She tried to sound disinterested, but he seemed unaffected by her attitude.

He smirked. "I just wanted to console you. You seemed worried. Let me assure you I know the seas inside and out. I could travel in just a wooden barrel if it were comfortable enough to nap in one."

Mia pulled a discreet face. This man was insane. She was going to die for sure.

"Am …am I going to die?' she asked, trying to sound sincere. Mihawk kept his back to her, despite the intensity of her question. She figured fishing for pity was as good as she could do right now.

"I have no business with what the World Government wants with you."

Bargaining. She needed to bargain with him. "You're a pirate! Why are you working for the World Government anyway?"

He spared her a sideways glance that sent chills up her spine. "I am one of the seven War Lords of the sea," he explained, authority and power emitting from his eyes.

Mia blinked. "The what?"

His hat tipped up and he raised an eyebrow. "You don't know."

"I'm new to this world." Honest. Be honest. Earn his trust. Gain his respect. Learn new things from him. Her thoughts whirled with strategy – although she was never a good planner or strategist to begin with, her current situation was pushing her limits.

She had his full attention now. "_**'This world'**_?"

Mia blinked again. "You know what I am, yet you don't know where I'm from?"

"I am by no means an expert on the subject. All I can tell you is, that Water Elementals are not unheard of in this world. Almost 30 years ago there was an infamous Water Elemental who scoured the seas and the pirates and marines that were in it. She brought storms and hurricanes that were thought to be the end of the world."

Mia gulped. Who on earth was this? The only other Water Elementals were her, the twins and their mother, her sister Nera.

"There was a legendary battle – between the witch of the sea and the man that would be Pirate King, Gol. D. Roger. Roger won, setting the seas back to the way we all knew it."

"I-I …wh- …" Mia was speechless. Her kind had been in this world before.

Suddenly it all made sense. How the Marines had known of their existence after Mera and Nino had helped Luffy rescue Zoro from them, and also how Zeff, an old-aged pirate, recognised them when they used the water-manipulating abilities. It had stumped her in the beginning, but it made sense now.

"But, the only other Water master who could actually turn the ocean upside down is …" Mia stopped her words, paling at her own realization. First, she was appalled, then, absolutely and utterly furious.

"Oh my gosh!" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet. Mihawk narrowed his eyes suspiciously, keeping a close watch on her movement lest she run. She paid him no mind. "Nera was here! She lied to me! I can't believe this!"

Quirking an eyebrow, Mihawk did not ask.

"Honestly, that was thirty years ago, you say? She was almost as young as me! Do you have any idea how much _**grief**_ she gives me? And now I hear she literally tormented the oceans of the pirate world when she was practically my age? What a hypocrite. I knew it. I knew she couldn't be so perfect." Her rant ended in a furious huff. "I wonder if mother knows, because if not, I'm telling."

To think after all these years, Mia would finally get some clarification on Nera's travels in her own youth. Though it was no secret that Nera had a temper, Mia was rather shocked to learn that she ...what was the way to phrase it? Mia's head began to spin.

This was incredibly and irreversibly unfair to the largest degree. Not only had she been forced to run after her nieces when they entered this world without any permission or preparation, but she was now forced to answer for her snobby sister's crimes. What in all the realms had she done wrong to deserve this unjustly treatment? Did Neptune not have any mercy to spare on her pretty little head?

"Of course, to the new generation, it is merely an old folk's tale. I'm curious," Mihawk voiced, obviously amused at the fit she had suddenly thrown. He unexpectedly got on his feet. "That woman destroyed many ships and vessels in her tyranny. Do you possess her abilities?"

"No," Mia answered without thinking. Mihawk frowned down at her at her frankness. She gave him an indifferent look, trying to push down her sullenness. "She's Miss Perfect, I'm afraid. She mastered the Element _**long**_ before I was born. She was a natural. My five eldest sisters are all naturals, experienced warriors, while the youngest I and had to take the back seat to their supremacy. I am a healer, which I take great pride in, mind you."

Mihawk seemed amused. "Do I detect a hint of bitterness?"

Mia sighed. "It feels more like disappointment, if I can be honest with you."

Well, son of a gun. Here she was, having a normal (well, as normal as she could think of) conversation with her terrifying captor. Perhaps she could turn this around in her favour yet.

The waters carried a light breeze that grazed through her hair, tickling the side of her face. She took a moment to read the sea, to try and gain some insight on their position, but it was to no avail – the waters found her a stranger and did not want to communicate with her. She inwardly groaned. If only she was more complacent, the waters might trust her more. Alas, not for now.

"I'm _**very**_ curious now. There are more of you?" Mihawk asked, voice coated with said curiosity, yet there was still an underlying danger that kept Mia on edge. His voice affected her in the strangest ways, yet she could testify that she had never in all her life come across a man like Mihawk.

Mia paused. "You're being awfully chatty all of a sudden." Before he could respond, she shrugged, a very unladylike gesture that would have Nera smack her over the head.

Well, to hell with Nera. Mia finally had something on her.

"I don't need to tell _you_ anything. Just wake me when we get there," she muttered, turning her face away from him.

Not knowing exactly where _**there**_ was, she turned in the seat and struggled to get comfortable, which was impossible. Nonetheless, she found a position that was suitable enough to rest in and closed her eyes. Her mind screamed at her to not fall asleep with such a dangerous man near her, but she was too tired to reason with herself. She just shut out her conscious, and fell into the darkness of sleep.

XXXXXXXXXXX

The small little boat was rocking when she was jerked out of her sleep. To her favour, the sun was still bright, high in the air to signal the hottest time of the day. She rubbed the sleep in her eyes and stretched, only to find herself stiff from sleeping in a very uncomfortable position. She sat up slowly and took in her surroundings.

Mihawk was sitting still at the edge of the boat, hat tipped over his face and figure slouched in a lazy manner. Mia craned her neck to try and find the gleaming gold from his eye, but found his eyelids drooped underneath the shadow of his hat. Taking a breath, she dared to stand, albeit unsteadily as the vessel was still annoyingly rickety.

She breathed. "Mihawk?" She kept her voice soft, softer than a breeze.

All she got in response was a light snore and a fidgety roll of one of his shoulders. Still looking down at him cautiously, she bit her lip. She turned her head to survey the waters. The wind had certainly picked up, but the waters were still manageable.

Something in the distance caught her eye. She squinted and hooded her eyes from the sun to try and get focus on it. Her eyes widened in realization. _**An island!**_

Taking another hesitant glance at her captor, Mia gracefully padded on the balls of her feet and, thanking the gods above that she wasn't wearing any shoes, took a few steps closer to test his slumber again.

"Mi-hawk." She drawled out this time, but still kept her voice low. He didn't respond.

Mia then stood up straight, and then, _**bolted**_.

When one was a Water Elemental, one of the first things you're taught is to run on water, and Mia was luckily very skilled in this particular department. So without throwing caution to the wind, literally, she dashed like a madwoman in the direction of the island. In her rush, she felt water spray on her calves and legs ay the fury at which her legs worked.

Promises be damned. She was running for her life. Forget it.

Her heart beat was frantic. She didn't even have the courage to look over her shoulder to see if Mihawk had noticed her absence. Surely she'd caused the vessel to wobble with her uncontrolled movements. He'd be furious once he'd notice her absence.

It felt like an hour, but sure enough she reached the island. When she hit the shore, she collapsed on the beach, heaving from what was probably the most intense sprint of her young adult life. The warmth of the sand comforted the side of her face as her heavy breathing racked through her body. Her legs were _**on fire.**_

She then sensed that she wasn't alone.

"Hey! What do we have here?"

"Could be a mermaid, don't you think? Certainly pretty enough to be one. Was I imagining it, or was she runnin' on the water?"

"Could be a devil fruit ability."

"You idiot, then water would weaken her! She'd sink!"

"Oh yeah."

Having got some of breath back, Mia raised her face from the sand, some grains sticking to the side of her face. She saw two figures tower over her.

"You okay, sweetheart? You look like you've been running for your life," the one man asked, a little concerned as well as a little teasingly.

"Are …are you pirates?" Mia asked between breathes, trying to pick herself off the ground. The water of the sea tickled her at her feet.

"Hey, don't strain yourself. We got ya."

She felt two pairs of arms grasp her underneath her shoulders and hoist her expertly on her feet. For a second she wobbled, which they seemed to notice, for they kept a polite grip on her in case she toppled over.

"I'm …I'm being chased," she rasped, throat dry from her body overworking. She didn't even bother to try and focus, instead just numbly rubbing the sand off her cheek. The friction made her vision blur less.

One of the men then turned interested. "Huh? By other pirates? Or the marines? 'Cause we've been keeping close lookout and I ain't seen any marines."

Mia shook her head, finally getting her bearings. "No, by another pirate but …he works for the World Government."

The men seemed to blanch. "A-a war lord?"

"D-do you know which one?" the other started to quiver.

Mia stood up straight, having finally caught her breath. "Hawk Eyes Mihawk."

They crumbled. All of a sudden the polite pirates on the beach were replaced by trembling cowards.

"I-I'll tell the boss! You better come with me!" the first one ordered with a failed brave face when he pointed at Mia. Without warning, he grasped her arm firmly and started to pull her in a direction away from the water.

"Hey!" Mia protested, but the man was so determined to get away from the beach as far and fast as possible, he paid no mind to Mia's struggling. This went on for a way and while. Mia was about to kick the man in his back and make another run for it, until they seemed to reach the destination. Mia already made out voices of laughter and chatter. They entered what seemed to be the heart of the island.

What Mia assumed was the rest of the crew turned their heads to inspect the new arrival. A few catcalls and wolf whistles reached her ears, and Mia tried to hide her face behind her thick head of hair in discomfiture.

"B-boss!" the man who was dragging her yelled. He pulled Mia to the front and the force of his jerk threw her off balance and she landed on her knees in front of who she supposed was 'the Boss'.

"Hey now, that's no way to treat a lady," 'the Boss' chastised with a friendly deep voice. Mia looked up and saw a hand outstretched to help her up.

"Thank you," she breathed, taking the hand and allowing the man to pull her gradually to her feet. Dusting off her long grey skirt, she lifted her eyes to see a handsome rugged face, scarred on the side, but friendly all the same. Forgetting her situation, Mia found herself flustered for a few seconds. He continued to smile, then he shot a look towards the man who had dragged her to his feet.

"What's the meaning of this?" he asked, voice very serious, and although friendly, his expression demanded authority. Mia took in the rest of his appearance. To her shock, she noticed he only owned one arm. Not wanting to be disrespectful, she avoided looking at it. The rest of him was tall and lean, obviously strong from years at sea – she could sense the distinct smell of years of salt water on him.

"B-boss! Hawk Eyes is on his way here!" the man stammered, falling to his feet, absolutely terrified.

Mia studied the red-haired man closely to take in his reaction. To her utter astonishment, he grinned, as if excited by the news.

"Old Mihawk! Haven't seen him in a while. Maybe we'll have one of our legendary battles." He grinned like a little boy, almost in a manner that reminded Mia of Luffy.

"Please," she began in a soft voice. "Mihawk wants to take me to the World Government. I-I ran away when got a chance, but now he's hunting me down!" She tried her best to put on a desperate face, hoping for once her charms would see it through for her.

The man smiled. "Don't worry, beautiful. I'm sure I can convince Mihawk to let you go. It's certainly not like him to chase after a woman, but you're pretty damn gorgeous so I can't even blame him."

Her face turned a deep shade of red, revealing the man's hair. "Uhm …"

"Bet I can convince him to just have a beer and then leave," the man muttered casually, eyes nostalgic.

Mia doubted it would be so easy, yet judging by the casual way the man mentioned it, it sounded as if he knew the swordsman personally.

"You gotta name, sweetheart?" he asked, grinning toothily.

"Mia," she responded, shyly to her embarrassment. The man was quite handsome. It nearly had her star struck.

"Well, I'm Shanks." He smiled, and stuck out his only hand. She offered hers, expecting a handshake, only for him to gently grasp her soft fingers between his strong calloused ones, raise his to his face and kiss it with a gentlemanly grin. She nearly swooned.

"Shanks," she echoed, smiling. The name sounded vaguely familiar. "I- …wait, I've heard of you. Luffy told me about you once, I think."

At the mention of Luffy, Shanks' face lit up as if he'd been given the best news of his life. "You know Luffy?" he asked, very eager.

Oh, by the heavens, Neptune was surely on her side! She'd found a possible comrade, and to think, out here in the middle of nowhere. To add to her luck, it sounded like he could face Mihawk. Even better, he was so friendly. Such a gentleman. More than Mihawk, she thought sourly.

She nodded, flashing her pearly set of teeth. "My nieces have joined his crew. I was recently separated from them when Mihawk …sort of kidnapped me. Well, I wouldn't call it kidnapping. He sort of just …"

"Charmed you into his arms?" Shanks finished, eyebrows raised knowingly with suggestion.

Mia puffed up her cheeks at the memory of Mihawk hoisting her into his arms upon her abduction. "N-no."

Shanks laughed, boisterous and out of his belly. "Well, any friend of Luffy is a friend of mine! You should tell me all about this crew he's got! Does he have a ship? He's captain, right? Has he gotten taller?"

Mia smiled, tucking a stray curly hair behind her ear. She was about to answer all his questions, when they were interrupted by the arrival of the other crewmate who Mia had met on the beach. He was heaving deeply when he crashed to his knees. He raised his head to announce something, when another figure stepped out of the shadows of the trees.

Mia gasped, and then instinctually, ran to hide behind Shanks.

Mihawk looked livid.

XxXxXx

_**A/N: I must say, the response I've gotten so far has been very motivating! I gladly wrote this chapter up in two days (short, I know) but this length is perfect for now.**_

_**This scene was one of the first I imagined, and certainly a great inspiration for the creation of this fic. Uhm, I also wanted to put a flashback in this chapter, but I'll try doing it in the next one (or after that). You know, to give more background, 'cause we haven't gone into much detail concerning the Elementals and all the sisters and nieces and whatnot.**_

_**To the four people who reviewed, YOU ROCK MY SOCKS!**_

_**Please excuse any mistakes on my part. I'll be sure to go through it again after posting it. :)**_


	3. Save Me, Shanks!

**Save Me, Shanks!**

_XxXxX_

**FOR REFERNCE:**

The Elemental Family (From eldest to youngest)

Leah (Fire)

Nera (Water)

Kendra (Earth)

Ruby (Thunder)

Amalia (Air)

Vera (?)

Nama (Fire)

_**Mia (Water/Ice)**_

Razu (Earth)

_XxXxX_

_It was ten years too early for Mia to be running around the Temple, chasing after brats who avoided their classes just to run around the pristine halls without a care for accurate molecule placement in water particles. Especially when the halls were so tiresomely long and stretched, adding to the fact that the Temple's design was nothing short of unnecessarily intricate. It was well-organized maze, surprisingly easy to navigate oneself in, but absolutely and physically draining to explore. _

_It didn't help that Mia wasn't really at the pinnacle of her physical form. It also didn't help that the brats she was hunting down had ten times the energy she had. Neptune alone knew where they got it from._

"_Mera! Nino!" she hissed over the soft footfalls of her sandals. Her words bounced of the hallways white walls' hauntingly. She had always found them eerily naked and cold, in contrast with the colourful people who lived within its lifeless walls. _

_Praying to luck, she took a random turn at the next corner, hoping to find one of them hanging themselves outside a window or sporting about one of the glorious fountains that decorated the terrain around the large oriental structure. Though she doubted that sincerely, she figured it wouldn't hurt to just check anyhow._

"_Yo."_

_The voice made her jump and for a second her heart stopped. She turned on her heels to see one of her eldest sisters gazing at her curiously. Mia felt as if she'd been caught doing something wrong, and the irony aggravated her as she was clearly the victim here._

"_Nama! Don't sneak up on me like that! What are you doing stalking me in the hallways? Don't you have your own pair of twin nieces to chase after?"_

_Her sister took a cocky stance, of course being older and having more confidence, she was prone to be a bit full of herself at the most needless of times. Nonetheless, notwithstanding being the third youngest, Nama was easily one of the best leaders among the nine sisters, and certainly had a temper on her. Of course, it was no secret that the Fire Elementals were a tad hot-headed – it was somewhat of a family joke._

"_Lost them again, hey? You're terrible at this." Nama smirked, her tanned face betraying her loss of elegance. Despite her teasing, she sympathised. "Come on, I'll help you look for them."_

_Mia smiled with gratefulness as her sister fell into comfortable step next to her. It wasn't as much as rushed searching as it was casual strolling until they were to conveniently stumble upon the two misfits._

"_Such a nice big sister I have," Mia remarked, feeling herself relax. Nama always had this effect on her, which caused her slight confusion, because Nama was most of the times a rather intense character, if not always in a bad mood. Even so, her loyalty outweighed anyone in the family. She would gladly die for anyone who shared her blood, no matter what the cost or cause. Mia, on the other hand, felt herself more useful on the side-lines, or to be more specific, on Nama's left-hand side, where she could subsequently, support her sister through any battle._

_Nama kept her face cool and aloof sometimes. "Yeah, well, I know it's hard raising someone else's twin brats."_

_Mia's eyes twinkled knowingly. "Yes, but you warmed up to Fureah and Nensho eventually, and they simply adore you. Whenever they have trouble, who do they go to? Their Aunt Nama, not Leah."_

"_And then I end up beating up boys for breaking their hearts. Sucks that they're so pretty for such a young age. Attracts a lot of unwanted attention."_

"_Nama, they're seventeen."_

"_What's your point?"_

_Mia sighed. There was no use. Nama didn't understand men, nor had she any interest in romance or relationships. Men were a foreign being to her, an alien race she kept her distance from, preferably always. Mia once theorised that perhaps Nama was made for another type of love, one that couldn't be simulated, but rather kindled – this is where Fureah and Nensho, the daughters of the Eldest, came into play. _

_Primarily, Nama had no interest in training or raising them, and for once turned her back on her family and fled to a neighbouring world whilst breaking many of the temples rules. The twins chased after her, 'things happened' as Nama described it to Mia and here they were. Nama would do anything for those girls, Mia knew, as she would do for her own charges. Who knew what happened in that world, as Nama refused to talk about it, even though she still frequently visited it with the girls._

_Suddenly, a terrifying thought popped into Mia's head. She gasped involuntarily, but did not stop in her tracks. "What if they entered a New World?!"_

_Nama huffed, unaffected and unfazed. "Would do them some good," she muttered, form straight. Her flaming red hair did well to compliment her power and profession. She grew down the length of her back, believing its length was testament to her strength as well as experience. Mia just thought it was very beautiful._

"_I'm serious!" Mia quipped, her stepping becoming anxious along the path of the halls._

"_So what?" Nama grumbled. "So they open one of the doors and enter a world to have an adventure of a lifetime."_

"_Yes, and we know of thrilled Nera would be of that idea," Mia snapped, more angry with her own carelessness than her sister disinterest. Nama shrugged, running her rough fingers through her long and unrealistic hair._

"_Like anyone gives a damn about what Nera thinks."_

"_Ugh, Nama! Come on!" Mia went into a sprint, rules be damned, and she was going to run down the halls. Clearly these girls were testing her limits and patience, so whatever was required, she'd find them and make sure they were safe. Grunting annoyingly, Nama sprinted after her, their sandals padding on the clean floor of the Temple. A few twists and turn later and they were in the desired hallway._

_It was lined with many ornamental and decorated doors, each emitting a world full of mystery. It was menacing the way they stood shut, as if one could burst open any moment and bring about the end of their own world. The halls were stark white, yet every door held a fair amount of artistry and colour, some painted upon, others had ornaments hanging of the shining doorknobs and handles. Mia leered down the hall, scanning for imperfection. It was horrid how these door stood unattended and unguarded – they could just as well have stood open. Yet, placing guards in the Temple went against Temple culture, or whatever poppy cock the First Five came up with._

_Her eyes spotted an irregularity. One of the doors clearly stood ajar, and her heart skipped another beat for the day. Nama seemed to notice it as well._

"_Oh, they actually did it," she remarked, almost dryly, but still held some of her own concern. She wasn't going into another world – it was dangerous to jump around worlds and be connected with more than one. Her own world was challenging enough, and soon she would become Elemental Guard of the world if she played her cards right. Of course, she'd have to take her own twins with her, but she'd get to that later._

_They rushed to the door in question and froze in front of it. It was a particularly famous door, reportedly untouched by Elemental heritage and ancestry. Little was knows about the world, which was rare, as most worlds had been explored and somewhat drawn up and written about in the Temple._

"_What world is this?" asked Nama, sounding a little less disinterested than she did a few seconds ago._

"_You've never set your foot in the Library, have you?" Mia rolled her eyes. "Nera called this the 'One Piece' world."_

"_Piece of what?" Nama grumbled dumbly, scratching her head._

"_One Piece," Mia repeated, running a shy hand over the edge of the door which stood naked to the world. "As in one singular piece."_

"_But Piece of what?"_

"_I don't know, Nama," Mia ground out, her frustration boiling over. She wasn't one to generally lose her temper, yet her current display was Childs play in comparison to Nama's anger-management issues. "I can sense their spirits. They definitely went in."_

_Her heart jumped in her throat. They went in. Oh, dear Neptune, who knows the dangers that lurked in this particular world? Were they okay? _

_Nama crossed her arms, yet her face conveyed a sense of being impressed. "So, what's the deal with this world that's they want to go in?"_

_Mia frowned, her gorgeous face uncharacteristically clinching at this defeat she had found herself in. "We don't know much about it, other than that it is a pirate-centred world."_

_Nama exploded with laughter. Mia's face turned red with fury, though she didn't see the comical side of the situation at all._

"_It's not funny! Do you have any idea what possible danger lies in there?!" she pointed towards the door who still stood ajar. Nama's laughter subsided into snickers, until she finally calmed down and gave Mia a hard clap on the back._

"_OW!" Mia exclaimed, rubbing her lower back which was red underneath from the impact. She glared at Nama, utterly upset with her now. As always Nama seemed unfazed by anyone else's anger but her own._

"_Mia, come on. We're talking about the daughters of a woman who can flood the planet of she wanted. So they'll run around the ocean with pirates a little but, big deal! Let them slay a few Krakens and walk a few planks!"_

_Although she was trying to sound earnest, she did not nothing to soothe Mia's over the edge nerves. Defeated and helpless, Mia sighed and rested her head in her hands. "What am I going to do? Nera's going to kill me."_

_From next to her, she heard Nama sigh. "Look, sis. GO after them." Mia raised her heavy head to look into her sister's strong eyes. "Go pack some herbs and orbs and stuff and go in after them."_

"_But Nera-"_

"_I'll deal with Nera," Nama added, voice deep and coated with bravery Mia could only hope to own one day. _

_She smiled at her sister, eternally grateful. _

_XxXxX_

If looks could kill, Mia would be dead. Disintegrated and a laying pile of ash on the ground beneath Mihawk's feet. It was not to be underestimated how powerful the impact of his eyes on a person. He seemed to be able to pick one's soul apart with a mere blink or one second focus of his pupil. His form was rigid, strong, and overwhelmingly criminal in the sense that his mere stance should be a crime.

Mia swallowed.

From next to her, Shanks was still his boisterous self. "Woah, did you wake him up from his nap? Because you shouldn't do that."

She felt her form shrink, yet stood her ground, Shanks's presence definitely feeding her confidence. A gasp escaped her throat before she could stop herself and she found herself suddenly crashed into a very hard and muscular body. She blinked and found herself against Shanks, as apparently he had thrown a protective arm around her and retreated her to his safe form. Normally she would have objections. It was uncanny that two men had held her like this in the last few hours. No wonder everyone in the family thought she was a slut, a family joke she was cursed to deal with.

There was a moment of complete silence. No one in Shanks's crew dared make a sound, even if petrified by Mihawk's mere presence. Shanks and Mihawk seemed to be staring each other down, Shanks serious in his expression for once. The sight made Mia quiver, and for a moment she was reminded of the dangerous figures that travelled across these waters.

It was Mihawk who spoke first. "Camping on an island like this …you're much too casual."

Shanks smirked and for a moment Mia felt invisible. "Yo, Hawkeyes," he greeted severely as if the latter hadn't made any comment whatsoever. Mia moved to shift, and Shanks's grip intensified around her form. She felt caught between two predators. "Long time no see. I'm a little busy right now. You come for a match?"

Mihawk huffed. "I have no interest in challenging a one armed man like yourself. But that woman you seem to be clinging to, is my captive."

Shanks then grinned. Mia felt her heartbeat quicken. "But she's my guest, and for the rest of the day, my date."

Mihawk was unamused and to Mia it felt like Shanks was playing with venomous fire. There was a split second where Mia was positively convinced a fight was going to break out and that these two men would exercise their infamous power on each other in another one of their legendary battles, as Shanks called it. Instead, Shanks chuckled, released his hold on Mia and retook his seat from before. He then proceeded to pick up his jug of beer, chug it down greedily and then release an unrefined belch fit for a pirate.

It had been some while since Mia had been so confused.

Shanks laughed at her expression. "C'mon, sweetheart! Sit down! Mihawk's here to party! So let's all have some fun and unwind a little!"

Mia almost expected Mihawk to blow Shanks off, call him a fool or simply grab her and leave without a word. Thus, she prepared herself for any reaction he might have, but nothing prepared her for him merely walking towards Shanks, taking a seat next to him and pulling out Luffy's wanted poster, much to Shanks's enjoyment. They began conversing, Mia's company unnoticed or either ignored. For a brief moment she felt insulted, then reminded herself of the situation she was in. She decided she would play Shanks's game, hoping it would turn out in her favour.

Mia shifted on her feet as music began to play in the background, a little unsure of what she had to do next. Shanks saw her discomfort, stretched out his hand to grip the material of her long skirt and pulled her off her feet and into his lap. She squeaked at the contact, founding herself pressed against a tall and toned chest.

Despite all the trouble these pirates were giving her, there was no denying the eye-candy they turned out to be. She mentally blushed after that though, though it must have shown on her face, because Shanks then proceeded to openly tease her about it. Then, he shamelessly flirted with her, in front of Mihawk of course, no doubt to aggravate him or to get a rouse out of his cold and stoic form.

"Come on, darling. Have a drink!" he insisted, moving to hand her some alcohol. She respectively declined. Her culture dictated she only drink water. Being in the company of pirates, this was apparently a very funny thing to say as they all burst out into yells of laughter that made her go red again. Whenever Mia was embarrassed, her face lit on fire and the heat made her uncomfortable – she simply hide her face in her hands until her face cooled down. It was a sad habit.

Shanks thought she was upset. "Hey, sorry, we're pirates. We don't know about culture." He sounded very sympathetic, and pulled her delicate hand away from her face. "Come on, don't hide that beautiful face."

Her cheeks burned red. Really, where she came from there was no flirting to this degree. There was only the Temple, training and studies. If an Elemental wished to marry, she had to be a designated Guardian of a world and then may be allowed to marry. Of course, Mia was far from World Guardian status – she could barely protect her own nieces.

Her sadness at the memory of her nieces must have shown on her face, because Shanks was very affectionate all of a sudden, which did nothing to pacify her, yet was well successful in making her extremely uncomfortable. Her one hand grazed though her hair and stroked her face, then moved down to her back to stroke circles on the surface. She wriggled in his lap, which was a mistake, because the movement might've come across as provocative.

"Shanks, stop handling the woman," Mihawk drawled, and if he was drunk, didn't show it. Mia dared to make eye contact with him and his face betrayed some irritation. It seemed that if anyone was capable of getting under his skin, it was Shanks.

Shanks narrowed his eyes at his rival. "You're just jealous."

Mihawk then rose to his feet, steadily, and so not showing any sign of intoxication. He looked Mia square in the eye. "You broke your promise that you would come peacefully."

Mia shrunk under his gaze. He truly was terrifying and for that second she didn't mind pressing herself tighter against Shanks's form. She involuntarily began to shiver and, almost childlike, turned her head away from his view and into the protection of Shanks's chest.

"I've never seen you act to passively against a woman, Mihawk," Shanks said in mild accusation. He shifted Mia in order to stand up, albeit somewhat unsteadily due to intoxication, which made Mia nervous. He then placed his hand behind her back, which Mia took as comfort. Unexpectedly, he pushed her, hard. She fell forward and was caught by another.

'I really should try standing firmer and stronger. These men are throwing and carrying me about,' she thought sourly in order to distract herself from the fact that she was back in captor's hands. He hoisted her up on her feet and grasped her wrist strongly so it most definitely hurt her petite arm. The pain showed on her face, but if Mihawk had noticed, he didn't show it. Instead, he shot Shanks a piercing look and Shanks returned one that shadowed a certain emotion Mia couldn't pinpoint. A brief moment of understand ran between the two, as if they spoke a language only they understood. The crew seemed oblivious to this exchange, going on with their merriment and drinking.

She felt betrayed and hurt that Shanks would give her away so easily, despite promising to protect her. He was her last hope at freedom and she foolishly trusted from the beginning. She threw him a soft and questioning look, not angry, just confused. He met her eyes, smiled and winked.

And that was that.

XxXxX

Without a word, Mihawk began to jerk her in the direction of the beach. His grip on her wrist was quite painful, for she was rather delicately built and his hand was used to wielding a deadly weapon with unimaginable force no doubt. The two didn't sit right with each other. She fought hard not to show weakness, but the pain was becoming unbearable. She refused to cry. But for the moment, she was tired fighting. The day had been long, she was emotionally and physically exhausted.

The pain in her wrist dulled. She saw white and promptly half-fainted. Out of discomfort, she groaned as Mihawk caught her once more, and unsuccessfully tried to put her on her feet.

"You seem exhausted. There is an island not too far with a fair inn we can rest at. Take rest. I will get us there safe."

She heard with a half ear, yet something in his voice eluded her to trust him, if only on this one thing. There was something oddly idealistic in the way he spoke to her at that moment. She felt overwhelmed, as if the waters surrounding her were trying to communicate with her finally, but it appeared to be coming from inside her soul – alas, she couldn't hear it anymore, for it was gone as quick as it came. She imagined the wind tucking a stray hair behind her ear, but it was only later did she remember that the winds had died down the moment Mihawk hoisted her into his arms.

_XxXxX_

_**A/N: Don't worry too much about the temple thing and the sisters. It's just so you get a feel for Mia and sort of try to get where she's from and what she has to deal with. This was a little difficult to write for some reason, but it turned out all right, for now I think.**_

_**Shanks, you slicker. You're up to something, aren't you?**_

_**Nama is my other OC. She's mine. Back off.**_

_**OMG, the response for this fic has been amazing. Like, honestly, TEN review in only 2 chapters? I'm overwhelmed. Thank you so much! Of course I'll finish this fic and put hard work into it. I'm so glad you guys enjoy it! Drop me a review, especially you guys who already reviewed. I'm following you personally. I love to get to know my reviewers! Thanks everyone!**_

_**RESPONSES:**_

**bookgrl:** I promise I won't stop! Not as long as reviews like yours exist. You got me so pumped to start the next chapter. Thank you for your wonderful words! :)

**Yoshisaki Asuka**: Thanks! He's one of mine too!

**PurpleJosei:** You flatter me. *blushes*

**Ravenclaw Slytherin**: Thank you!

**Juliedoo**: Possibly my favourite review. I'm so glad someone feels that way and it's wonderful to hear it from someone on the site. Trust me, I've read them too and I knew I wanted to try something different. I'm ecstatic to hear you like Mia! She's always been in my mind through the years and somewhere in my fantasies, she ended up with Mihawk. I hope to hear more from you in the future!


	4. Chivalry is a Zombie

_**Chivalry is a Zombie**_

_Mia was dreaming. She was floating, somewhere above the clouds. The wind carried her over the billows, as she let the tips of her fingers graze the water vapour to savour the feeling of moisture on her skin. There was no limit underneath or beneath her. She felt eternal – pulled into a state of enlightenment that could not be explained to anyone who had not experienced the sensation before. Her form relaxed when the floating stopped and she felt herself perched on a single cloud, finding absolute bliss among the recent chaos of her life._

**SLAM**

Mia jerked, and abruptly woke up as a snappish sound riveted through her ears and echoed throughout her body. Her azure eyes shot open to fixate on a shabby wooden ceiling, withered but sturdy enough to withstand the years. She groaned, remembering the events from before she lost consciousness.

Feeling stiff and sore, she sat up to take in her surroundings. The room was furnished simply, yet held some antique style that gave it a comfortable splendour. The queen-sized bed she occupied was at the back of the room, mostly taking up all its space, accompanied by a few comfy chairs in the corner along with a coffee table and a paper that lay upon it that appeared to be Luffy's bounty poster.

She turned her vision to try and see what had caused her to wake up, but found nothing but an empty room with a closed door. Her eyes focussed on the door for a second, figuring Mihawk must've just left and he shutting the door like a barbarian had woken her up. Mia snipped her nose up, annoyed. Hmph. How rude.

She scrambled off the bed and made her way to the nearest window. Drawing blinds, she found no sunlight. Apparently she had slept through the most of the afternoon. She vaguely wondered what the time was and where on earth Mihawk. With this thought, she felt an uncomfortable stir in her stomach – she was getting hungry.

Something white and unmoving in the corner of the room caught her eye. She nearly gasped when she saw her staff perched against the wall in the corner of the room. How could she have forgotten it behind, even after fleeing Mihawk? Sure, she didn't particularly need it for the most part of her travels, but it was her primary weapon and was a symbol of her authority in the Temple. Moving, she went to pick it up and grasped it firmly in her soft hands. The design was simple. It was made of pure white wood – there was a forest surrounding the temple that grew the most bizarre colours when it came to tree roots and flowers. The staff had no magical or elemental aspects, but it gave Mia a good focus point when she was manipulating water around without using her hands or arms. She was grateful Mihawk remembered to bring it along.

She sat the staff back down and took a seat in one of the comfy chairs in the corner. Her body felt exhausted, despite having a refreshed mind from her slumber. She felt the joints in her hips ache and the stiffness in her sides from her extraordinary run this afternoon. Absentmindedly, her fingers combed out her nest of curly blue hair. Suddenly she felt dirty and wanted to shower or bathe. She spotted another door in the corner and pushed herself out of her seat, groaning as muscles ached with movement. Having reached the door, she swung it open and peeked inside. Yes, a bathroom with a quant shower, mirror and washing basin. Taking her chance, she hopped in and indulged herself.

After closing the door, she started to peel off her light and grimy-feeling clothing. First, her simple blue tank top that was marvellously comfortable, especially when traveling and possibly, fighting if needed; then, her long white skirt that was not so comfortable, but she was most used to fighting in, as wearing long skirts was usually tradition when living at the Temple. Thus, she grew up and trained in skirts, so by now manoeuvring with one was second nature to her. She let the material fall to the floor and cringed when she noticed how dirty it was. Yes, the white skirt had to go.

Her skin grew chilly only standing in her beige underwear and she made her way to the shower to let the water spray and heat while she sorted out her hair. She found no comb or brush and instead had to untangle the worst of it with her fingers, something she was also used to doing, especially when one of her brushes broke (which happened more often than she liked). The steam of the shower began to fill the bathroom, and after throwing off her underwear and standing nude, she hopped in and adjusted it according to her liking.

There were many things Mia found spiritual comfort in, but a good and much-needed shower took the cake. Water was glorious, she reminded herself. So pure. Natural. Cleansing. Not a single evil thing about it. It was powerful in the hands of nature, yes, but not evil. The elements were unbiased, forthcoming and existed for the entire universe to value and learn from. For now, however, Mia was content just standing in the shower and washing away the sand that clung to her skin.

She found a bar of soap on the wall and sniffed at it curiously. Flowery, maybe lavender? Perhaps roses? Mia couldn't tell. Without a care, she smeared the soap all over her body, revelling in the feeling. Mentally, she already felt cleaner as well. Never mind that she was being held captive by the greatest swordsman in the world. Seeing no shampoo, she let her hair be as it is. For a few minutes, she stood underneath the unending stream of water, tempted to stand there until the warm water ran out.

Following a few seconds of private recollection, Mia braced herself and finally stepped out of the shower. She grabbed the towel hanging on the towel rack and started to dry herself off. As she moved to pick up her clothes from the floor, she froze in her place.

Where were her clothes? She turned in her spot, scanning the bathroom floor intently. Nothing. No tank top, no grimy skirt and, worst of all, no underwear.

Mia blanched. What on earth happened to it? Did the room service come in while she was showering and pick it up for laundry? No, that wouldn't be ethical – she was in the shower at the time. They wouldn't come in like that. Maybe it was some kind of pervert playing some practical joke on her? She seethed and furiously wrapped the towel tightly around her body.

Having no clue as to what she should do next, Mia padded towards the door and slowly jarred it open to peek out from the crack. The room was still empty. No Mihawk.

She opened the door fully and a curious pile on the bed caught her eye. She moved closer and found clothing neatly folded on the bed. She picked up the first object – it was a gorgeous sweater, nothing like what she owned back home. The material was smooth, it felt expensive and the colour was positively her favourite, baby blue, matching her hair perfectly. Looking through the rest of the pile, she found a white pair of jeans. She edged forward and felt her toes bump into something. She looked down and found a pair of stunning navy blue boots lying at her feet with pair of white laces. Underneath she found a spaghetti top, the same colour as the sweater, and a pair of stark white lingerie.

She flared in embarrassment. There was no doubt this was Mihawk's doing. She picked up the lingerie, tracing the delicate lace with her fingers, and promptly felt the life flee her face in mortification. She'd never worn lingerie before. She was brought up to be modest about her body and beauty and anything promiscuous was considered sinful in a way – not absolutely forbidden, but definitely looked down upon. If this underwear ended up fitting perfectly, she would simply die from humiliation. Taking in a breath, she tried it on.

Everything fit perfectly.

She was appalled. Then angry. Very angry. How in the name of Neptune did Mihawk know her size and measurements? What did he do to her while she was unconscious? Peeked underneath her clothing? She snorted – he certainly didn't betray that he was the sort of man that would dare such a shameful thing. He was a warrior; he had to have honour, right? Surely, she was just being paranoid and Mihawk just had a sharp eye for these kinds of things? That and, no doubt, he was probably quite familiar with the female form with his staggering appearance.

Exhaling, Mia adjusted her clothing and jogged into the bathroom to check her appearance. The clothing fit flawlessly, the shoes felt inflexibly new and the pants maybe a smidge tighter than she would've liked, but she was more than happy. She had to give it to Mihawk – he had good taste, and Mia was willing to bet none of these materials were cheap.

She heard the door slam and walked out to meet her captor. Sure enough, she entered the main room and found him standing at the edge of the bed. As he was taking off his massive sword, he caught her standing in the bathroom's doorway and took in her form. For a moment she felt extremely conscious, but forced herself to push it down. She was a grown woman. She had nothing to be ashamed of. There was no need to act like a shy school girl.

"The clothes fit well," he remarked and set his sword on the bed with expert care. His voice invaded her eardrums with a rather strange sense of this afternoon's nostalgia. Her time with him thus far had felt astonishing in the sense of how slow he caused time to pass by her. She felt awkward standing in the doorway, yet made no move.

"Thank you for the clothing. It's absolutely lovely," she responded, honest with her words as one of her fingers traced the edge of her new comfy sweater. "How did you know my size?"

"I have a good eye," he commented, rather dryly and without looking at her anymore. Mia may have imagined it, but he seemed weary – something that slipped her mind for a moment. She needed to remind herself that Mihawk was indeed human, and also needed comforts.

"Would you like to shower?" she asked, finally stepping out of the doorway. "It's yours if you want."

He shook his head, and instead, moved to the corner occupying the coffee table and took one of the comfy chairs next to it. Mind apparently unfocussed, he picked up Luffy's wanted poster and stared at it intently for a moment, possibly trying to burn a hole through it. Mia blinked, unsure of what to do. He seemed to have entered a stoic state, so she decided to humour him. She moved across the room and took the seat across from him. He pretended not to notice her.

"Do you know Luffy?" she asked, trying to not let her friendliness sound too forced. This was as close as to conversational she could get for now. At her question, he put the poster down.

"Shanks once mentioned the boy. I have a feeling he's the reason Shanks lost his arm," Mihawk muttered darkly, eyes narrowing, yet there was nothing personal behind it. It looked to be just his normal way of conversing. Mia's mind flickered back to this afternoon when Mihawk refused to fight Shanks, calling him a 'one-armed man'.

"Did he say how?" she asked. Shanks' betrayal was still fresh in her mind, and although she was not bitter, the mention of his name nearly forced her eyelid to twitch in irritation.

"No, he never spoke of the incident. All he said was that he wagered his arm on the new generation," Mihawk drawled, folding his feet on the table and straightening out his legs. "To be honest, I have no more interest in it. Shanks is a fool, anyway. The newer generation is by far the worst." It was the most she had heard him speak in a turn and it sent something giddy and lively up her spine, something unidentifiably spectacular.

Mia swallowed. "I disagree."

His eyes locked with her penetratingly, something that would've made her knees buckle had she been standing. He raised an eyebrow at her bold statement, yet allowed her to continue without arguing.

"Luffy is going to be pirate king," Mia stated, with more confidence than she really had at that moment, relaxing back into the chair. Mihawk seemed utterly thrown off by this declaration, although succeeded in not showing too much surprise. "I have never met a more brave and determined boy."

He regarded her for a second. Mihawk chuckled. Deep. Slow. The rhythm sent waves of tremors through her bones. The strangest feeling invaded her being. She felt possessed. Something had taken over her mind, and all of a sudden, she wasn't thinking clearly anymore. Her heart constricted painfully, full of unreleased tension she had no idea how to relieve.

"If that boy becomes pirate king, I'll eat my hat," he declared smoothly, tipping said hat as if to make a promise of it. Mia folded her arms, for assurance sake as well as to make sure her heart wouldn't explode out of her chest. She took in Mihawk's entire form and frame. Her stomach jumped.

'_Oh, Neptune, I am attracted to this man,'_ she thought miserably, inwardly groaning with realization. The thought lessened the pressure in her chest, as if clarification was the remedy to her heart's frustration. She looked at him again. He seemed distracted by something deep in his mind. She opened her mouth to speak but words appeared to have left her.

No. Not good. Being attracted to the man that was going to hand you over to the World Government was a bad idea. She knew herself. She was a sentimental old romantic, as Nama and Razu would describe her. If she gave into her physical craving, she would fall in love for sure. Giving Mihawk one last look, she wondered if it already wasn't too late, even after so little time.

And if so, revelled in the curse of Mihawk slowing time down whenever he was near her.

XxX

The time was nearing eleven, and Mihawk thought it appropriate to go out to eat for some reason. He was oddly relaxed with her by his side, she assumed anyway by his lax nature around her. Perhaps he was just lazy, like Zoro, and liked to nap and train most of the day.

She rather appreciated that he wasn't treating her like a real captive – that is to say, didn't drag her around by the arm or sling her over his shoulder. Instead, they walked comfortably through the local market and took a table at a shrimp stand. Mihawk took off his hat and set down his weapon.

Mihawk paid upfront and ordered for both of them. Mia thanked him shyly with a low voice, conscious about the fact that physically, she had nothing in this world. Initially she had come to this world very well prepared. Sadly, her bag got stolen by the Marines when they rescued and recruited Zoro and since then they had been on the run, in her haste, had forgotten all her belongings.

"What did you do with my old clothing?" she asked suddenly, playing with the salt shaker on the table.

"Threw it away," he grumbled, taking a huge gulp of the beer he's ordered. Mia should have been outraged, but guessed she didn't have much of a say. She'd gotten beautiful new clothing out of the arrangement, at least, although her new shoes were hurting a bit. Healing blisters won't a problem for her at least.

He looked at her, probably expecting a scandalized reaction. Instead, she shrugged and said an agreeable, "Okay".

Soon, the food arrived and Mia thanked him for the food once more. He was already tucking in however, and Mia followed suit. She hadn't eaten since Sanji had served her earlier today and her current meal certainly didn't match the amazing tastes of Sanji's, it was still a great comfort. Mihawk finished before her and waited good-naturedly for her to finish her plate. She wanted to melt when she felt his eyes looking into her while she ate. It felt like an eternity, but she soon finished as well. She pushed her plate away, swallowing the last of it.

He looked at her. "Did you eat enough?" he asked, sounding like a true gentleman. Mia felt her heart nearly explode.

"Yes, thank you very much," she voiced, a little softer than she intended, but the circumstances were putting a lid on her outspokenness.

"Would you like dessert?" he asked out of nowhere, with the same grace as the previous question. Mia stared at him curiously, shy and very tempted to say yes. Dessert wasn't served at the Temple and an Elemental's diet was rather strict, but Mia didn't see anything stopping her here. On the other hand, she was immensely nervous and felt like saying yes would be rude. Why on earth was Mihawk being so nice all of a sudden? Did he perhaps feel remorseful for causing her so much distress the last few hours?

"Uhm," she drawled out, feeling her face lit up for no reason she could think of. The whole situation was completely unheard of. "I-I mean …if you'll have then I will …" she faded out lamely, looking at her hands she was twisting in her lap nervously.

'_This is just like a date …if my date captured me and took me out to dinner anyway …'_ she thought, trying to shed some humour on the situation, hoping it would ease her nerves. Sadly, it didn't.

Mihawk shot her a tiny grin. He called the waiter and ordered some sort of pie or something – it's not like Mia was listening anyway. She was too self-conscious – straightening out her clothes with her fidgety fingers, combing them through her unruly hair at the pauses between their exchanges and blinking a lot more than necessary. Neptune, she was going mad.

"So …you are a War Lord of The Sea?" she asked, trying to distract herself and at the same time, trying to sate her curiosity.

"I am legally still a pirate, yet work under a government title which ensures me freedom and no bounty …as well as authority and some territory over some land and parts of sea." His voice grazed her ears like a feather tickling her bare skin. His eyes locked with hers, and for some reason he didn't seem in tempt to look away.

She nodded, wanting to ask more, but felt any question she might have stuck in her throat and chest. Whether he noticed her discomfort or not, he didn't show or say. Mia became aware of the people and the surroundings around them. The town itself looked calm and secluded, underpopulated but kept busy all the same. Despite the late night, the streets were still bustling and most shops and restaurant still open. Children chased each other on the street as the people made their way through the given light by the local fireflies caught in jars that hung from the close knit buildings.

"This place is lovely," she muttered without thinking, eyes twinkling as a pair of girls skipped past them with exotic flower woven into their hair.

"I like to come here when I travel," Mihawk voiced softly, nearly startling her. She looked to see an almost serene face staring back at her, a genuinely human and legitimate face of a man – and she as a woman in distinction, could only smile and nod back. They sat in comfortable silence, for once, and Mia couldn't help thinking how pleasant this was all of a sudden.

"I …" the words just spilled out of her mouth. "Isn't there anything I can do to change your mind about …giving me to the government?" she started delicately, looking him straight in the eyes. "Can't we come to some kind of compromise?"

He didn't respond, instead, letting her words wash over him. She tried leaning in closer across the table. "I'm nothing like my sister …the one who battled Roger. I can't …" it pained her to talk about it, "I can't make giant tidal waves or drown whole cities …I …I just heal."

He was listening intently. She wasn't paying much attention to his face as she spoke, as her eyes had drifted to her lap.

"I …train the kids. I heal the wounds. I mean, Nera can heal too …the woman has a doctorate in medicine and everything. I just … I came here to protect my nieces. I wanted to take them back home. They came here without permission, you see. Their mother – Nera, I mean – she just, I mean, she's rather strict. Tough love and all that, you know? But she means well. Anyway, I'm the girls' guardian. When I found them they'd already joined Luffy's crew, and when I threatened to take them back, _**he**_ threatened to beat me up! Can you believe it? So I tagged a long for a while, healing everyone on the crew and trying to train the girls while we were there. Might as well have tried, you know."

Mihawk continued to listen, patient.

"After a while I started to notice a change in the girls. Mera is the oldest twin, and her mother glorifies her for it. Doesn't necessarily give her more attention or anything, just makes it out as some kind of achievement. Mera's wasn't snobby about it. She's a good willed girl – heart of fire, if you ask me. Took a while to tame her spirit a little, just so she had a little bit more control, you know?

"Her sister Nino is an absolute sweetheart. She's just like I was when I was young, and I imagine Mera has a little of her mother inside her, you know? But Nino had a little social anxiety, plus she was rather sickly as a child. But it worked out all right, her mother and aunt being good healers and all that. She gets the short end of the stick thought, being the younger and weaker sister." There was a sense of pride in her voice. She smiled, having relaxed by now and able to talk freely.

"Nino is quite shy sometimes. Reserved. Definitely not as outspoken as her sister or cousins. Fell in love with Zoro the moment she saw him. She never said so herself, but I'm not blind, nor am I young myself. It's no secret that Zoro is …well, what's the word I'm looking for? Hmm. Perhaps abrasive is a little too harsh. He's more clueless than anything else. Doesn't see a difference between men and women, which is good and bad at the same time, in my opinion.

"Mera was besotted with Luffy. Not in love, like Nino so to speak. More like …I don't know …she admired his determination and freedom. He could go out in the world and be anything he wanted. And what greater dream than being pirate king. Have you ever wanted to be pirate king, Mihawk?"

He blinked. For a moment she guessed he didn't register that she had asked him a question. Perhaps her long story had caused his mind to wander off. He grinned elusively.

"Every young pirate dreams of becoming pirate king. Roger caused a stir when he was executed. But no, I never had the ambition myself. My dream was to become the greatest swordsman in the world."

She grinned back. "Which you did?"

He nodded slyly. At that second the waiter arrived with the dessert. He laid out two steaming bowels in front of them and Mihawk immediately started to dig in. Mia picked up her spoon and slowly dug into the sweet and sticky pudding-like substance as well. It was hot, but heavenly. Such a simplistic dish, yet the happiness of the world was located within it.

"So …Nera is the second oldest out of all nine of us. Leah is the oldest. After Nera comes Kendra. The first three are pretty close. Nera and Kendra are twins themselves actually. Runs in the family, you see. They couldn't be more different though. After Kendra comes Ruby and then Amalia. Also twins. Then …my sister Vera."

Mia paused, deciding whether or not she should continue. Mihawk looked at her curiously while chewing his own dessert.

She sighed. "Vera …is not around anymore. Not dead, but …she …we don't talk about her.

There was a moment of solitary emotion, something Mia could barely identity herself. Vera was a special case, something no one in the family liked to think or talk about. The moment was as fast gone as it came however, and she easily pushed it to the back of her mind,

"Anyway, then came Nama, then me and then Razu. We're triplets," she concluded and took a breather to eat some of her own pudding. She didn't know whether Mihawk was listening anymore, but she didn't mind either way. Talking about it made her feel comfortable.

"Are you identical?" he asked after swallowing. Mia smiled.

"Not entirely. You can see the resemblance. We have identical heights and faces …the hair and eye colour tends to differ."

A wave of serenity washed over the table with those words. Mia wanted to talk, but was soon becoming tired of hearing her own voice. She was rather embarrassed she had talked so much, but she was a sociable person and could barely help it most of the times.

"Your mother …must be quite strong," Mihawk commented out of nowhere, already finished with his bowl. He pushed it away and crossed his arms on the table, attention fully on her.

She swallowed her last pudding as she nodded. "Yes, but she is not with us anymore."

"I am sorry," he offered apologetically.

Mia smiled warmly. "Thank you, it's quite alright. She was an extraordinary woman. Although her death was rather unbecoming, it was peaceful. We looked after each other after she passed. Nine sisters are a force to be reckoned with."

"How does it work?" Mihawk asked all of a sudden. "Where are you from?"

Mia bit her lower lip. "I …well, all you need to know is …I come from the centre of the universe. And …at the centre of the universe, lie the gateways to the seven main realms. Our job is to sustain elemental balance in these worlds and protect the gateways."

She took a moment to let the information sink in, yet Mihawk was shrewd and intelligent. Clearly, Mia should have known better. This world was by far the biggest out of all the realms. The concept of jumping from one civilisation to the other was not unfamiliar to a seasoned pirate like Mihawk. Although looking at him she wouldn't call him seasoned but …experienced.

He looked like he wanted to react, but chose to keep most of it to himself. Despite his years of knowledge under his belt, the concept of other worlds and whatnot threatened to tore apart the fabric of what he believed in this world – then again, that fabric wasn't very big to begin with. Mihawk was by no means a spiritual man. He was practical, unmoving and serious. This was nothing.

"Do you have any …questions, I guess?' she phrased awkwardly, playing with her own fingers. The waiter brought the bill for the pudding in the meantime. Still thinking, Mihawk paid and then after putting down his money, caught her eyes once more.

"What is the extent of your abilities?" he asked seriously after the waiter left. "Are you only capable of healing or do you have any other gifts?"

She looked to the side, avoiding his gaze. "For the most part, I practice healing, but can still sway water like a true water elemental. I'm just not upfront about it like Nera. I mean, I can only guess what she did when she was here in your time …but trust me, she's not that tyrannical in person. She'd married in the meantime and had the girls, and I raised them since she was busy with her own stuff." She trailed off, unsure of what she wanted to say in the first place the moment she ended that sentence. Mihawk raised an eyebrow out of amusement.

"If you show me, I might consider striking a deal with you," he suggested, arms crossed once more.

Mia began to feel sceptical. "What kind of deal?"

Mihawk shrugged. "Maybe there is some use for your power."

Mia raised her own eyebrow. "Any use in healing? Maybe," she said casually, making sure to let some sarcasm ooze through. Mihawk, of course, picked up on her tone.

"I meant the …'swaying', as you called it."

"That's not my strong point. And what would you do with my abilities anyway? The best I can do is make a ship go steadier and calm a few high waves. I can even swab the deck in five seconds. But that's about it, I'm afraid. I can heal anything in minutes though. Deep cuts, bruises, internal bleeding …I can stop a heart attack. I can even attach severed limbs …heal broken bones, of course – that's nothing, probably the easiest thing to do. I can cure minor illnesses, like flu en sinuses. Nothing major, like cancer and whatnot, but Nera is currently working on that. Oh, I can purify salt water into clean drinkable water, that's rather nifty, especially when you're at sea."

Her eyes twinkled, watching his impressed reaction. He shifted in his seat, taking in everything she was saying.

"Isn't …I …Mihawk, I'm not a bad person," she began, feeling her throat constrict. "I didn't come here to do anyone or any pirate any harm. I came here for my girls. I can see you're a good person."

"Don't pretend that you know me," he responded gruffly, breaking his gaze with hers. The intensity in his eyes started to scare her once more.

She tried again. "I mean, you're a gentleman. You …wouldn't take me to the world government if you knew they were going to experiment on me, would you? Without me being able to defend myself?" Without even trying, tears sprang from her eyes. It was strange, she was definitely not that upset or sad, but she guessed it was an uncalled talent to cry even if she felt nothing.

The waiter must have noticed her distress and walked past the table. "Everything okay?" he was big and burly and clearly did not like seeing a lady cry. He shot Mihawk the stink-eye.

"Everything is fine. She's just pregnant and moody," Mihawk lied flawlessly, without so much as blinking. Mia had to push a strangled choke back down her wind pipe, and the action nearly knocked the breath out of her. She paled.

The waiter's eyes balled. "Congratulations. Can I offer your wife anything?"

'_Keep it together, Mia,_' she thought, feeling colour return to her face. Unexpectedly, Mihawk's hand shot out and grabbed her own and started to stroke the fingers lovingly.

"Perhaps some water for the nausea," Mihawk suggested and the waiter hurried away, perhaps thinking Mia's constipated face meant she was about to blow chunks all over the stand. When he left, Mihawk withdrew his hand, leaving Mia's head spinning.

She leaned over. "Do I really look pregnant?!" she whispered furiously, nearly spitting from the force of her words. She could see he was pushing down a chuckle by the way his grin curved in rhythms. She felt insulted.

"No, but you played the part rather well," he commented, clearly amused and entertained by her reaction.

'_Ugh,'_ she thought, nearly voicing it out loud. How unsavoury.

The waiter quickly returned with the water and then left, reminding the pair that all they needed was to shout if they needed something, before he scurried away once more and hopefully for good. Mia felt sour suddenly. One moment they were having a rather civil discussion and the next it's a blunder.

"Let's talk about it tomorrow. For now, we should get some more rest. I want to leave early in the morning." With that, he stood up and she had no choice but to follow. She was tempted to vein fainting, just so he would be tasked with carrying his 'poor pregnant wife' all the way up to the inn, but in the end decided against it.

No matter what, she convinced herself that the right way to go was to get Mihawk on her side, something that could, possibly, end up saving her life.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

_**A/N: What a chapter. Took me four days to write. It's chaos in my academic life right now. But I've never been so intellectually stimulated. Gets my brain juices flowing.**_

_**Please excuse any mistakes or typos on my part. I probably should get a beta for this thing.**_

_**I hope this chapter was fun. I enjoyed writing it. It's longer than the others too, and the future ones will be most likely as well. There's so much more we need to get into detail about.**_

_**So far, the response has been amazing. I get super excited when I get reviews! So tell me what you think.**_

_**RESPONSES**_

**Juliedoo: **I know. I wish they had more screentime in the anime sometimes. But hey, at least we got this site to keep us busy. Oh yeah, I really think Mihawk is a gentleman – I like to think he's a passionate character, 'cause you know, he's the closest thing we've got to a vampire in One Piece (Dracule being his name and all …plus he lives in castle.) Just sayin'. I'm glad you liked the temple part! Thanks for another great review. :)

**Zany Dragon**: Thanks! I don't know. He's pretty unpredictable. Who knows what he'll do or say next?

**Rai Kiriyama:** Thanks for the support! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


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